A solid southerly tested the resolve to A Mart in the early hours of Saturday, yet another 4:45 departure clocking early k's. Wozz, SuperMario and Temple had nominated for the 36k prelude to the regular ride, south on Raftery Rd's headwind, I counted telephone poles to put a positive on progress, each one numbered, another less to travel. (When it's real toil, count fence posts!) Spirits lifted as we swung east into Mitchell Rd and how pleasing the perspective of River Rd with the breeze behind the right shoulder (a different view headlong into the easterly last Thursday). Tap, tap, happily on Boundary, Channel Rd's return west was punctuated by squadrons of insects providing protein to anyone with their mouth ajar. Us four made it back to the car park within a minute of launch, Pistol, Lucy, Rocket, Shorty, Cougar, Car+Mel, Jase and Cate made it a dozen for duty. There was some sorting of the stack across the tarmac on Channel Rd bearing east, a Boundary Rd blessing then earnestly east on Old Dookie. Some jocular jostling for position in the caboose as we rounded the Toaster, Lucy now bike besotted as a solid Saturday starter. Driving from the Pine Lodge creek to Lemnos Rd (4k) beside Jase pushed my parameters of a standard turn, just a measure of self worth. Ford Rd's speed in the high 30's was stretching the limits of a few, Cate had detached from the draft at Matilda Drive, the Couldabeens compassion for comradery caused a back-off the throttle to keep the bunch bonded. A steadier pace along Wanganui, perfecting the fine art of drafting in echelon and with the sprint struck off the register, true teamwork came into perspective, brownie points earned from those giving maximum wattage to stay in touch. The strengthening southerly (20-37 km/h) did its best to whittle down our speed on the Boulevard, but little deters a rider reaching caffeine! Seven peaks, mountains, bike bling and Kurt's crazy k's for December (10,656) employed tongues between bites of breakfast at the Lemontree table.
Almost jilted Sunday night by Monday's forecast, but passion was rekindled by Monday's cleared radar. New Dookie Rd beckoned the bike, a spin on the seventeen to the church sensing an easterly, a solitary oncoming headlight reckoned to be Tina cranking copious k's, I focussed just a few metres ahead, saving the corner (too far away) as a surprise. Eventually evangelical at the Pine Lodge church, I was down to the Toaster by 6, pointed back to town on Old Dookie with directional decisions favouring a solo squirt, Cats (or was it madamoiselles on a mission?) a few k's ahead. Just love the second k of River Rd, tarmac as smooth as Hollywood's head, making Mavic music, flat-lining the heart rate and speed to get home without blowing a gasket. A funny feeling of followers was confirmed at Galbraith's gate, the Rocket-Pistol-BigMat-BigRon train passing with a free ticket of a tow home was too good to refuse, an assisted passage of pace to finish 46 k's.
The ritual rigmarole of fuelling the breakfast tank, kitting up, pocketing pump, tube, phone and keys, donning specs, helmet and shoes, tending to Garmin, lights and tyre pressures, opening the front door to see the first drops of rain falling! A sixth sense spelt certain saturation as the morbid easterly dragged nasty nimbus across the horizon, was this but passing precipitation? The cloud of lost opportunity niggled at the neurosis till 6, relentless rain remanding rest, somewhat (and strangely) smug, knowing many others were in the same boat.
Another two half grid formation at Wednesday's Couldabeens, Car+Mel, Cate, Wozza, Jen, AvantiAndy, Nick, Pistol, SuperMario, Cougar, Rocket, Shorty, Lenny, Lynda, AvantiTrev and Temple eventually forming as one. A calm start so the bunch gap (from traffic) could be bridged by Kialla Lakes, Wozz and I assumed the first shift to the roundabout, 3000 metres seems an eternity! The routine of rollovers got underway to Mitchell Rd, Team FMC at Kialla Central commenced the clockwise peleton parade, Cats, 51, P&W's, Goats and others lapping (and lapping up) a Summer morning. A few of our lot short shifted nearing the front, reasonably pacy with a slight SSW'er in our favour. Some are slowly emerging from holiday hibernation and paying the price on pace, I've been fairly fresh with a break from the almost habitual prologues. A bit of chat passed Boundary and Channel Rd by, down to the business of the Cha Cha (the sole purpose for some) with Pistol and Shorty leading to the kinder, Wozz and I to hopeful corner. Lenny tore into the tempo passing Wozz, but his body language was interpreted as imminent explosion. Wozz retook the lead, I loaned a tow beyond Prentice Rd to keep the kettle boiling, but Rocket casually cranked an extra 10% into the pace to humiliate all, Pistol the only one to stay in touch. Curt news of Lynda dropping off the back reached us at the truck route, but only Team Chivalry (Temple and I) about faced to assist her back to the pack.
A cruisy Boulevard tap soaked up the minutes from an early exit from home, pondering what possesses a Pussycat to be lumen-less in traffic at 5:43 am. A dare? A deathwish? Or just plain dumb? (certainly fans the flames of the car vs bike war) The assembly at Friars included Joe, AllegroJohn, Principal Skinner, Deb, Coggo, Belly, Heady, Dipper, Hommy, Phillo and Snow, Tina (as always) added on the outskirts. Filing the figment of frustration on Phillo's fall-back and the casual cranking on Old Dookie Rd, I lapped up the solicitous social side, keeping the prime function of a smooth and straight line paramount. The grizzle of the flat-lander (wind) was found in Boundary Rd, a SSW'er (11-17 km/h) eagerly shared amongst all 13 to speed our arrival at River Rd. (Phillo retreating on Channel Rd) Fast forward to Roubaix, Rooster Roscoe was the bunch bait, caught just beyond Galbraith's as the tempo turned toasty. Just Coggo, Heady, Snow, Dipper and I were left labouring the front as six strugglers strung silently at the back. Snow and Dip seemed to have hit their limit out of Conrod's first dip, so, to rip up the routine, I buried myself in a 350 metre lead out, averting eyes on the 173 bpm but fixing them on 47 km/h. Endurance had evaporated by the last dip, the last penny spent flicking an elbow for Coggo to claim the chocolates, dragging a single file of survivors in his wake.
Sauntered the streets to soak up the premature minutes to the Friday pain train, long-time-no-see Fee en-route to Friars. Just Dipper, Heady, AvantiLeigh and Tum were present to participate, Belly bowed out with a blown tube. Somewhat despondent, we set off for Old Dookie to battle the breeze (20-28 km/h southerly), salvation appearing as Coggo at SPC, a blown tyre hadn't curbed his commitment. Feeling fairly (but furtively) frisky, I took the first shift idling through town, up to cruising speed to the truck route, then opened the throttle to Dobson's bridge, pleased holding 40, but I think I cooked second wheel Heady a bit early. Compassion cooled the heels after Central Ave, Dipper, AvantiLeigh, Coggo and Tum slowly building the velocity to Boundary. Southbound into the headwind tested us all, gaining ground (and passing) Paul Van P and bro-in-law (who jumped aboard) at one tree dam. A wave to eastbound Couldabeens in River Rd, Coggo towed me to the favoured stretch of Tarmac, letting me loose to drive to Laws Dr (arriving spent), AvantiLeigh's passing praise of "sick unit" a rich reward. Six sliced the wind to Mt.Nicolaci, Coggo handing me the ascent to take the train to the highway (grateful to stop for traffic to recompose the respiratories) Chuffed at the tailwind but puffed at the pace in Raftery Rd, it was full steam ahead (eager to end the exertion) for Conrod, Coggo calling it quits with 400 left to go. A glance back confirmed it was just us two, then the wide open spaces to the left-overs behind, inspiring to end the week with a 54 km/h finish.
Week 1. 243km. YTD 284 km
Word up to Mexican Daniel, a monster mountain mission to "Everest" Mt.Major last Sunday. 53 consecutive climbs of our little 168 metre hill in 16hrs 24min to surpass Everest's 8800 metres, a huge effort! Recommend you read his blog <danielbovalino.com> for an insight into the vanquishing vegan.
And get around velominati.com>the rules, wickedly witty yet wise words on the world of road bikes.
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